DIVESTMENT: LEGACY OF LIBERATION An annotated chronology of the San Francisco Bay Area anti-apartheid movement
CONGRESS: Berkeley Congressman Ron Dellums introduces a non-binding resolution urging disinvestment from South Africa. He has one co-author.
JANUARY 4, BERKELEY: Berkeley City Council delays purchase of IBM typewriters to investigate IBM's ties to South Africa.
FEBRUARY 16, CONGRESS: Congressman Dellums introduces legislation requiring US corporations to divest. He has 11 co-authors.
JUNE 9, CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY: The Assembly Office of Research issues a report calling for state divestment from South Africa. The author, John Harrington, later founds Working Assets and Progressive Assets Management, socially responsible investments firms.
SEPTEMBER 12, BERKELEY: The Berkeley City Council adopts a resolution condemning the racial policies of South Africa and requests the City Manager to determine which companies the City does business with have ties to South Africa. The resolution to authored by BCA Councilmembers D'Army Bailey, Ira Simmons, Loni Hancock and Ying Lee Kelley.
MARCH 28, CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY: First bill requ1r1ng divestment introduced in the California Legislature by Assemblymembers John Burton, John Dunlap, John Miller, Bill Greene, Willie Brown, Julian Dixon, Alan Sieroty, John Vasconcellos, Senator Mervyn Dymally and others. It doesn't move far. Various divestment and disclosure bills are introduced almost every year until 1986 when legislation is signed into law.
MAY 22, BERKELEY: Councilmembers Loni Hancock and Ying Lee Kelley propose the city withdraw from PERS (retirement fund) because of its ties to South Africa. It is defeated 3-5 with BCA Councilmembers supporting and BDC Councilmembers opposed ..
JUNE 8, U.C.: Katherine Tremaine of Santa Barbara tells the U.C. Regents that she is withdrawing her offer to donate 100 acres of ocean-front property to U.C. because of their investment ties to South Africa.
JULY 24, BERKELEY: Councilmembers Hancock and Kelley propose that Berkeley not invest in firms with ties to South Africa or with major defense contractors. It is defeated 4-0-4 with BCA Councilmembers supporting and BDC Councilmembers abstaining. OCTOBER 17, U.C: The Regents defeat a proposal to open Investment Committee meetings to students and faculty when social responsibility issues are being discussed. They decide that social responsibility should not be considered in making investment decisions. Mike Faber, director of the People's Coalition for Investor Responsibility at UC Berkeley calls the decision indirect support of "racism and genocide".
OCTOBER 30, BERKELEY: The City Council defeats a proposal by Councilmembers Loni Hancock and Ira Simmons to establish a local, South Africa-free pension fund to replace PERS by a vote of 3-5. DECEMBER 20, SAN FRANCISCO: The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approves a non-binding resolution urging the S.F. Retirement System Board to divest, proposed by Supervisors Quentin Kopp, Dianne Feinstein and Terry Francois.
JANUARY, UC: Regent William Roth, the Student Body Presidents Council and the UC Student Lobby urge a re-evaluation of investment policy.
FEBRUARY, U.C.: UC regent William Roth announces he will insist on a full discussion by the Regents every time a social responsibility issue is raised at a corporate shareholders meeting.
JUNE 25, BERKELEY: The Council rejects a proposal by Councilmembers Ira Simmons and Ying Kelley to investigate whether the city's Police and Fire Pension Fund has invested in South Africa. It is defeated 4-1-4.
JANUARY, CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE: Senator John Dunlap releases report showing UC portfolio includes 32% of stocks are invested in companies doing business with South Africa.
JANUARY 5, U.C. BERKELEY: The UC Academic Senate urges the Regents to adopt a socially responsible investment policy.
MARCH-APRIL, U.C.: The UC Student Lobby and church groups launch a letter writing campaign to the Governor and Regents urging a change in U.C. investment policies.
FEBRUARY 27, CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE: The California Senate creates a new Select Committee on Investment Priorities. Members include Oakland Senator Nicholas Petris and arch-conservative HL Richardson.
APRIL, CALIFORNIA: Labor, church and community groups launch the first statewide campaign to $top Banking on Apartheid. It is targeted at 9 banks making loans to South Africa. APRIL 26, BERKELEY: Berkeley City Council agenda item by Councilmembers Ying Kelley and Loni Hancock requiring divestment. No action is taken as their Council terms expire.
MAY 14, U.C.: A pro-divestment petition signed by 2500 UC Santa Cruz students is given to the Regents. The Regents take no action.
MAY 19, U.C.: 300 UC Students disrupt a Regents meeting in San Francisco, demanding divestment, among other things. Regents' Chairman William Coblentz says they will send a letter to corporations with ties to South Africa asking them to describe working conditions for Black and white workers.
MAY 27, BERKELEY: More than 400 students rally at UC Berkeley, and another 600 at Santa Cruz and Davis. 200 are arrested at Santa Cruz and 18 at Davis -- the first such arrests in the history of either campus.
JUNE 3, BERKELEY: Students stage the first Sproul Hall sit-in in 9 years. 56 are arrested at Berkeley supported by 500 students filling Sproul Plaza.
JUNE 8, CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY: In response, newly-elected Assemblyman Tom Bates sends a letter to the Regents signed by 24 legislators urging UC to divest.
JULY 1, U.C.: A San Francisco Chronicle story reveals that 56.5% of UC stocks are invested in firms doing business in South Africa.
JULY 15, UC: The Regents delay action on a proposal to divest within 2 years until the next meeting. Protesters disrupt the meeting, forcing an early adjournment.
SEPTEMBER 14, UC BERKELEY: The trial of 58 protesters arrested at UC Berkeley begins. Luke Ellis is their attorney. Meanwhile, UC Treasurer Owsley Hammond recommends that the Regents not divest at their meeting today. He says it will cause 'more harm than good'.
OCTOBER 20, UC: The UC Regents decide to hire a consultant to advise them on socially responsible investing.
MARCH 7, DAVIS: Davis voters pass a non-binding referendum asking the City to divest. 55% vote yes. The measure is supported by Mayor Bob Black.
MARCH 8, BERKELEY: UC Regent Stanley Sheinbaum prepares a proposal creating an official advisory committee on socially responsible investment which includes students, faculty and staff.
APRIL 12, BERKELEY: 100 demonstrators picket the Telegraph Ave. branch of Bank of America. The bank manager tell them "I'm only the manager of one branch". Students for Economic and Racial Justice member Ken Burt tells him, "I've banked here since my parents first gave me an allowance and I'm pulling out." Cheers from the demonstrators. APRIL 19, UC BERKELEY: 60 students rally for divestment.
APRIL 26, BERKELEY: At a press conference activist Tom Hayden condemns UC investment policy and releases a report by the California Public Policy Center showing that UC lost a potential $119 million last year due to its current investment policies.
MAY 17, SACRAMENTO: 14 students from UC Berkeley, Davis and Santa Cruz sit in at Governor Brown's office demanding that he support an open Regents meeting on divestment.
MAY 18, UC BERKELEY: 100 protesters, including former ASUC President Neil Taxy, stage a sit-in at California Hall.
MAY 23, UC: The Regents vote to oppose a proxy vote to divest. Only 5 Regents: Jack Henning, Lt. Governor Mervyn Dymally, Yori Wada, Speaker Leo McCarthy, and student Regent Michael Salerno, vote 'yes'.
JUNE 1, UC BERKELEY: 5000 students rally for divestment. Governor Jerry Brown draws a big cheer when he says he'll attend a special meeting June 8 where the Regents will consider their investments policy. Cesar Chavez and Assemblyman Bates also speak.
JUNE 8, U.C. BERKELEY: 1500 rally against apartheid at Cal just before a special meeting of the Regents. 50 demonstrators are arrested at the Sproul Plaza sit-in. Among those arrested is student (now SF Weekly editor) Marcello Rodriguez.
DECEMBER, UC: Most UC student governments have stopped using banks that make loans to South Africa.
JANUARY, CALIFORNIA: California Campuses United Against Apartheid is established. It is active until 1983.
JANUARY 17, BERKELEY: In a national first, an initiative requiring the City of Berkeley to take its funds out of banks doing business with South Africa is announced. The measure is backed by CalPIRG, Berkeley Citizens Action, Students Against Racial and Economic Justice and others.
FEBRUARY 26, BERKELEY: The City Manager tells the City Council that divesting could cost Berkeley $400,000 annually. The City Council rejects the analysis. In Davis, 200 gather at a conference on divestment.
FEBRUARY 27, BERKELEY: 100 divestment measure supporters turn out at the City Council meeting to protest the City Manager's analysis. BCA Chair Ann Chandler calls the analysis 'preposterous'. The City Council places the citizen petition measure on the ballot as well as a companion measure which clarifies the definition of loans and eases fears about the costs.
MARCH 28, BERKELEY: Local leaders Rev. Bill Shive of the Bay Area Interfaith Council, Ed Kirschner of Community Economics, Kane Smith of the Berkeley Out of South Africa Coalition, Rev. James Stewart of McGee Ave. Baptist Church tell a press conference that divestment will help local businesses.
APRIL 1, CALIFORNIA: 375 Congregations throughout the state observe a "Day of Concern for South Africa".
APRIL 17, BERKELEY: BERKELEY BECOMES THE FIRST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES ADOPT A BALLOT MEASURE REQUIRING DIVESTMENT. The vote is nearly 2-1 in favor.$6.5 million -- 55% of the City's funds will be moved to 'clean' banks.
APRIL 22, BERKELEY: The Berkeley City Manager says that taking city money out of banks doing business with South Africa will not cause the city financial problems.
MAY 18, UC: The Regents vote to ask GM to pull out of South Africa. ASUC Vice President Andy Spahn describes getting the Regents to divest as "banging our heads against a wall".
JUNE 30, U.C.: Lt. Governor Mervyn Dymally, an ex-officio Regent, proposes that the Regents divest. The Regents refer the proposal to committee. Governor Jerry Brown says he thinks the Regents should make a 'fundamental reassessment' and ' maybe sever our ties with those companies'.
NOVEMBER 17, CALI FORNIA: Nearly 2000 $top Banking on Apartheid volunteers distribute 250,000 leaflets at Bank of America branches thr oughout the state.
FEBRUARY 14, BERKELEY: The Berkeley City Council adopts procedures for divestment.
JUNE 8, UC BERKELEY: The Daily Cal reports that UC has nearly doubled the number of shares of common stock it has invested in companies with ties to South Africa.
NOVEMBER 23, BERKELEY: Oakland Councilman Wilson Riles tells students in a workshop on responsible investing, "The political struggle of the '80s is going to be around public and private pension funds. The critical questions i.s whether your own money should continue to be used against you."
SEPTEMBER 14, U.C. BERKELEY: The Bear's Lair Grill is boycotted by students because it is managed by a company .with S. Africa ties.
MAY 25, SACRAMENTO: Berkeley City Auditor Florence McDonald testifies before an Assembly committee on a divestment bill, scolding them for not divesting, "If it were found that Public Employees Retirement Funds were invested in the Mafia, or prostitution or heroin, I ' m sure you would do something about it."
NOVEMBER 8, SANTA CRUZ: Voters adopt a measure requiring the city to divest. OCTOBER 11, BERKELEY: Students rally in Sproul for divestment.
LATE OCTOBER, OAKLAND: The City Council directs the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance prohibiting the city from doing business with companies that have ties to South Africa. The City's Finance Director tells the City Council that it is difficult to develop a list of firms doing business in South Africa and suggests that they look instead to federal officials to develop a national policy on apartheid. Councilman Carter Gilmore calls that 'absurd'.
NOVEMBER, SAN FRANCISCO: Voters overwhelmingly approve a divestment ballot measure for its pension funds. Election strategist Julianne Malveaux says "Until we put our bodies on the line, we are not involved and are just on the sidelines."
NOVEMBER 28, WASHINGTON: Congressman Ron Dellums is arrested during civil disobedience outside the South African Embassy.
NOVEMBER 24, SAN FRANCISCO: ILWU (Longshoremen's Union) members refuse to unload ships carrying goods from South Africa.
NOVEMBER 28, OAKLAND: 100 people rally in suppor~ of the ILWU at the Oakland offices of Pacific Maritime Association.
DECEMBER 1, SAN FRANCISCO: ILWU members, who have refused to unload South African cargo for a week, are joined in protest at the docks by 300 religious leaders and community activists. Pay is being withheld from Local 10 members. Supporters include the National Council of Churches, Rev. Howard Gloyd, Northern California Ecumenical Council and Thomas Ambrogi, former director of the Catholic Archdiocese's Social Justice Commission. Mayor Gus Newport and activist Angela Davis, like most of the protesters, vow to go to jail to support Local 10.
DECEMBER 11, OAKLAND: 6 protesters, including Supervisor John George, Willa Gray, a Richmond educator, Alphonso Galloway of the NAACP and others, are arrested at the Pacific Maritime Association offices. The Association had been the target of daily protests since December 3 because they have a contract with Nedlloyd Shipping, which carries cargo from South Africa to the West Coast.
DECEMBER 18: OAKLAND: The City Council unanimously adopts a resolution by Councilman Riles urging the Port of Oakland not to accept cargo from South Africa.
DECEMBER, UC BERKELEY: 38 anti-apartheid demonstrators are arrested for blocking University Hall, the systemwide administration offices.
CONGRESS: Dellums introduces the first comprehensive sanctions legislation. It passes the House in 1986 and prompts Senate legislation for limited sanctions which become law. JANUARY 18, UC BERKELEY: Student Regent Fred Gaines convinces the Regents to consider the fiscal impact of divestment. This is the first evaluation in 8 years. AFL-CIO Secretary John Henning votes for the motion but says, "Why should we sustain an outlaw nation?". He says continued investments "tarnish" UC's image. Regent Willis Harmon questions whether South Africa should be singled out when there are other counties violating human rights.
FEBRUARY 21, SAN FRANCISCO: The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) votes to divest.
FEBRUARY 27, BERKELEY: 250 demonstrators clash with police during a march through campus and downtown protesting apartheid.
MARCH 1, OAKLAND: Mills College trustees vote to divest.
MARCH 5, OAKLAND: The AC Transit District votes to divest.
MARCH 8, OAKLAND: 200 women hold a pass-book burning rally in front of City Hall. "By this action, each sister is taking on a personal commitment and an act of solidarity", said Yvonne Golden an organizer of the Bay Area Free South Africa Movement (BAFSAM) event.
MARCH 13, S.F.: BAFSAM organizes 150 picket South African Airways
MARCH 26, OAKLAND: Councilmembers report that they are unable to get the National League of Cities to take up the issue of divestment at their national conference, but that many local officials are interested in Oakland's law.
APRIL 2, UC BERKELEY: Judge Henry Ramsey issues an order forbidding demonstrators from erecting shanties, symbolic of the shanties in South Africa, close to campus buildings. 400 protesters gather and rebuild 15 shanties the police have removed. UC officials began banning people from campus they consider dangerous. ASUC President Pedro Noguera supports the protests, "There's been no change in the Regents policy and something has to be done." SAN JOSE: The City Council adopts divestment policy. APRIL 10-11, u.c. BERKELEY: Hundreds rally at Sproul Hall calling for UC divestment. A 'phone-in' to the Regents begins. 50 people begin a sit-in on the steps in front of what they rename "Steven Biko Hall". Some say they will remain until UC considers their demands. The ASUC endorses them 21-1. UC administrators demand that the protesters stop blocking access to the front door. APRIL 12-13 UC BERKELEY: 1,100 people rally at Sproul/Biko Plaza. Speakers include Berkeley Mayor Gus Newport and Assemblywoman Maxine Waters. UC Police do not enforce an order to clear a path to the door of Sproul Hall, but UC employees do so without incident. UC President David Gardener stops by to view the encampment.
APRIL 15, UC BERKELEY: A noon rally attracts 1,500 to Sproul. United People of Color join the sit-in. Chancellor Heyman calls the sit-in 'illegal' and a 'camp out'.
APRIL 16, UC BERKELEY: At dawn, UC Police arrest 140 protesters on the steps. Later that morning, 16 ASUC officers are arrested for blocking the entrance to University Hall. A noon rally draws 4000 and includes Free Speech Movement veteran Mario Savio among the speakers. Pro-divestment groups call for a strike the next day. Meanwhile, Supervisor John George asks the Board of Supervisors to hold a work session to discuss divestment.
APRIL 17, UC BERKELEY: 10,000+ students boycott classes. A teach-in runs all day at Sproul Plaza. A noon rally draws 4,500. Speaker Willie Brown, a member of the Regents, tells them that he is •ashamed' of the Regents and hints at sanctions on the UC budget if they don't divest. Many protesters are arraigned under the name 'Steven Biko' and released. Faculty, elected officials and groups call for the charges to be dropped. The student strike is endorsed by the Alameda County Labor Council and Local 3211 of AFSCME which represents 400 UC clerical workers.
APRIL 18, UC BERKELEY: 3 Berkeley Municipal Judges disqualify themselves from hearing the cases against the protesters sayings they're too anti-apartheid to be impartial. Dan Siegel, an attorney for some of the arrested calls it 'absurd'. Berkeley Vice Mayor Verionika Fukson says "The community is shocked and disappointed. We need judges with strong consciences."
APRIL 21-22 UC BERKELEY: Protesters and police skirmish at Sproul. One protester goes to the hospital. Students return from Spring Break. The Sproul Hall sit-in is entering its 12th day. 100 faculty members of the UC Berkeley Faculty for Full Divestment sign a letter to the Regents calling for divestment.
APRIL 23, UC BERKELEY: Chancellor Heyman tells the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate that he favors selective divestment of stocks in companies that are not making progress towards equality in their workforce. He refuses to drop charges against the protesters. UC faculty march from Sproul to University Hall to demand divestment.
APRIL 24, UC BERKELEY: A foot-stomping, chanting crowd of over 7000 pack Harmon Gym to hear students, faculty and elected officials urge the Regents to divest. A second boycott of classes is less successful, although many faculty hold classes outside. APRIL 25, UC BERKELEY: The first in a series of organized sit-ins and arrests takes place at University Hall. City Councilwoman Nancy Skinner and ASUC-President elect Pedro Noguera are arrested along with ASUC leaders from 4 other campuses. They demand that charges against 159 protesters be dropped and that the Regents vote to divest at their May 16-17 meeting.
APRIL 26, UC BERKELEY: 38 faculty are arrested. Four protesters clash with police on Sproul steps and are arrested.
SACRAMENTO: Members of the Legislative Black Caucus launch a major effort to prohibit the investment of the state's $37.5 billion pension funds in banks doing business with South Africa.
APRIL 27, UC BERKELEY: Author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. visits the protesters at Sproul and tells them, "Great crimes are being committed with American money, and if you think its your money, you're right."
APRIL 29, UC BERKELEY: Berkeley Mayor Gus Newport, Alameda County Supervisor John George, Oakland Councilman Wilson Riles, and entertainer Whoopi Goldberg are arrested along with 8 others for blocking University Hall. "We're asking you to leave," a policewoman politely asks the protesters. "And we're asking you to sit-in with us," replies a smiling Mayor Newport. John George leads protesters in chanting "Hey hey, ho ho, apartheid has got to go". George declares that University Hall will be renamed "Winnie Mandella Hall". A petition signed by 2000 Stanford students calling for divestment is presented to the UC Divestment Coalition.
APRIL 30, UC BERKELEY: 47 members of UC clerical and graduate student unions are arrested. 300 people march through Berkeley demanding divestment. They throw rocks at branches of the Bank of America and Citicorp.
MAY 1, UC BERKELEY: Berkeley City Councilmembers John Denton, Don Jelinek, Ann Chandler and Wes Hester, El Cerrito Councilmember Chuck Lewis and Jean Siri, and Emeryville Councilman Stu Flashman are arrested at University Hall. Arrests total 280.
MAY 2, UC BERKELEY: United People of Color hold a "Sunrise Shutdown' at University Hall. 112 are arrested. Among the marchers are Mayor Newport, Councilwoman Maudelle Shirek, Professor Carlos Munoz, Angela Davis, Supervisor George and Rev. Cecil Williams. At the request of Speaker Willie Brown, an Assembly budget sub-committee cuts $150 M in construction money from UC's budget as a suggestion that the University to sell its investments in s. Africa. "We can't solve all the world's problems in this little committee, but we have to start somewhere." said sub-committee Chair Robert Campbell(D-Richmond).
MAY 4, UC BERKELEY: 17 members of the clergy are arrested, bringing the total to 408. MAY 6, UC BERKELEY: 45 older people, including members of the Grey Panthers and the Abraham Lincoln Brigade are arrested. "My wife and I are going to be busted today on our 50th anniversary" said Jules Seitz. 5 student groups decide to change focus from the sit-in on Sproul steps to organizing for the upcoming Regents meeting.
MAY 7, UC BERKELEY: 27 members of City of Berkeley Boards and Commissions, including Pearl Marsh, are arrested. ASUC President Pedro Noguera and other student leaders go to New York to speak before a special committee of the UN on the protest.
MAY 8, UC BERKELEY: The entire Berkeley School Board is joined by students, parents and teachers and are arrested along with writers Jessica Mitford, Maya Angelou, Tillie Olsen, Alice Walker, Lawrence Ferlinghetti and others.
MAY 9, UC BERKELEY: A group of Native Americans are arrested. Protesters celebrate the 1 month anniversary of the Sproul sit-in.
MAY 10, UC BERKELEY: 11 Berkeley business owners are arrested.
MAY 12, UC BERKELEY: UC faculty members issue a scathing report on UC investment policies, criticizing the University for voting for anti-South Africa related stockholder resolutions only twice in 36 times such resolutions have been before companies UC holds stock in. UC Faculty for Full Divestment blast the UC treasurers estimate of $100 million cost to divest as 'appallingly weak and flimsy'. The faculty 'groups estimates costs at $18 million.
MAY 13, UC BERKELEY: Bishop Desmond Tutu speaks to a wildly enthusiast crowd of 9000 at the Greek Theatre, and thanks them for their support. Meanwhile, 18 activists including Daniel Ellsberg and Cesar Chavez are arrested at University Hall. UC President David Gardener meets with faculty from the campuses and tells them he believes the Regents will vote to partially or totally divest at their June meeting.
MAY 14, UC BERKELEY: 21 more arrests.
MAY 15, UC BERKELEY: 43 Rabbis, leaders of the Jewish community and Holocaust survivors are arrested, including Laurie Zoloth-Dorfman and Rachel Richman. Rabbi Samuel Broude of Oakland's Temple Sinai tells the group that what they are doing is "a prayer in action''. The total number of arrests is now 613.
MAY 16, UC BERKELEY: The UC Regents meet at Berkeley to discuss divestment. 1500 protesters march 1.6 miles from the main campus up to the Lawrence Hall of Science where the meeting takes place. Some carry black coffins -- one labeled "Here will lie IBM, BofA and Coke". Red ribbons line the route. The day begins with 90 faculty marching to the meeting to present the Regents with a pro-divestment petition. "This is probably the most compelling activism in Berkeley ever," says sociology professor Troy Duster. 30 people in wheelchairs sit-in at University Hall. Three are arrested. MAY 18, UC BERKELEY: To the enthusiastic applause of students, the Regents decided to hold off on further South Africa investments pending a vote on June 21. 8 protesters are arrested for trying to block the roadway from the meeting, but things are generally peaceful.
JUNE 14, OAKLAND: 600 rally at Mosswood Park commemorating= the lOth anniversary of the bloody Soweto rebellion. ILWU leader Leo Robinson and Oakland Councilman Wilson Riles pledge continued support for divestment. ALAMEDA COUNTY: The County Retirement Board votes to divest.
JUNE 19, SACRAMENTO: The Public Employees Retirement System votes 6-4 to ask Governor Deukmejian to veto divestment legislation requiring them to divest.
JUNE 22, UC: The Regents reject a plan by Speaker Willie Brown for full divestment. Instead they adopt President Gardener's plan, 16-10, to create an advisory committee to review companies on a case by case basis, using the Sullivan Principals as a basis.
JULY 9, OAKLAND: After a tumultuous meeting, the City Council adopts a divestment and South Africa-free purchasing ordinance.
JULY 14, OAKLAND: East Bay M.U.D. (water district ) votes to divest.
JULY 18, EMERYVILLE: The Council adopts moderate divestment restrictions.
JULY 30, BERKELEY: The City Council adopts a South Africa-free purchasing policy.
SEPTEMBER 17, ALAMEDA COUNTY: The Supervisors vote 4-0 to divest.
OCTOBER 1, UC BERKELEY: The UC Berkeley Academic Senate votes 98-3 to ask the Regents to immediately divest the University of stock in companies tha't sell goods to the S. African military or police and take steps to divest other S. Africa connected stocks. OAKLAND: The Port of Oakland joins the list of government agencies boycotting companies with ties to South Africa.
OCTOBER 8, OAKLAND: The Port of Oakland votes to divest.
OCTOBER 9, CALIFORNIA: The California League of Cities defeats an anti-apartheid divestment measure in its first roll call vote in more than 15 years. the vote is 99-81.
OCTOBER 10, UC BERKELEY: The UC Divestment Coalition holds a sit-in on Sproul steps. 50-100 remain overnight. 2 are arrested.
OCTOBER 13, UC BERKELEY: 1000 students rally in Sproul Plaza demanding the Regents divest. ASUC President Pedro Noguera calls the Regents voting against Brown's proposal hypocrites and liars". After the rally, 500 demonstrators march to University Hall and block two entrances. 50 marchers block the Bank of America office on Shattuck, causing the bank to close 3 1/2 hours early. OCTOBER 22, RICHMOND: The City Council votes unanimously to divest.
NOVEMBER 4, BERKELEY: 150 people hold a torch-light march through the city calling for divestment.
NOVEMBER 6, UC BERKELEY: 138 are arrested at a Sproul Hall sit-in. The 10 hour sit-in is organized by MEChA, United People of Color and the African Students Association.
NOVEMBER 15, UC BERKELEY: The University decides not to buy more Nalco stock because of ties to South Africa. This is the first time the 5 month old policy on investments has been applied. Frances Hasso, the undergraduate representative on the official University Committee on Investor Responsibility calls the action "piecemeal " and says the Regents "are not serious about divestment".
NOVEMBER 21, BERKELEY: The Mayor declares it "Merchants Against Apartheid Day" honoring 100 local merchants who have signed pledges not to sell goods made in South Africa.
DECEMBER 5, PALO ALTO: The City Council votes to divest.
END OF DECEMBER, SAN FRANCISCO: The Board of Supervisors adopts divestment and South Africa free purchasing ordinance.
JANUARY 18, SAN FRANCISCO: Supervisor Carol Ruth Silver burns her Shell Oil credit card to protest the company's ties to South Africa.
JANUARY 21, ALAMEDA COUNTY: The Supervisors adopt a South Africa-free purchasing policy.
FEBRUARY 10, RICHMOND: The City Council votes to divest.
FEBRUARY 12, U.C.: University Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility student member Gay Seidman and Frances Hasso call the committee a "travesty of a mockery of a sham" and threaten to resign if the committee doesn't act. On April 21, they announce they'll boycott meetings.
MARCH 20, SAN FRANCISCO: The Northern California Ecumenical Council endorses the Shell Oil boycott.
MARCH 21, UC: UC Regents vote to sell $12 million in bonds because of the companies ties to South Africa. Students call this 'token'.
MARCH 26, OAKLAND: BAFSAM activists picket an Oakland Shell station.
MARCH 31, UC BERKELEY: 300 students sit-in in front of California Hall, the administration offices of UC Berkeley, defying the 10pm deadline to remove the shanties. Folksinger Richie Havens sings.
APRIL 2, UC BERKELEY: 800 Rally in Sproul Plaza at a demonstration ,
called by United People of Color, UC Divestment Coalition and the Campaign Against Apartheid. They ask protesters to help re-build shanties torn down in front of California Hall. 20 ramshackle shanties are rebuilt.
APRIL 3, UC BERKELEY: UC Police confront 500 people at the shantytown, arresting 91 during a melee that begins at 3:30am. Protesters pelt police with rocks and bottles in what the demonstrators call a 'police riot'.
APRIL 8, UC BERKELEY: 300 students block entrances to California Hall in a peaceful demonstration. 12 are arrested. Protesters meet with Chancellor Heyman to discuss their demands.
APRIL 25, UC BERKELEY: Citing worsening racial strife in South Africa over the past year, Chancellor Ira Michael Heyman urges the Regents to reconsider and strengthen the divestment policy.
APRIL 29, UC BERKELEY: Students erect another shanty town and 200 rally in support. Chancellor Heyman says he will support limited divestment.
MAY 1, UC BERKELEY: 1000 rally in Sproul Plaza for divestment. After the rally, 300 march to California Hall and vow to block it until UC divests. 61 are arrested.
MAY 6, BERKELEY: Chancellor Heyman calls the decision of Berkeley Judges to dismiss charges against anti-apartheid protesters "absolutely mad".
MAY 15, UC BERKELEY: 200 students demonstrate for divestment at California Hall. 12 are arrested including Rent Board Chairman John Brauer. 160 have been arrested this spring.
MAY 22, BERKELEY: The Berkeley City Council order the Berkeley Police not to assist the UC Police in arresting demonstrators. The order is later modified to allow BPD involvement if human life and property are in danger.
MAY 22, OAKLAND: The city pulls $10 million from the Bank of America because of BofAs ties to South Africa.
JUNE 15, CALIFORNIA: The Bank of America, the nation's 2nd largest bank announces it will make no more loans to South Africa.
JULY 9, OAKLAND: The City Council declares the city a refuge for South Africans, Salvadorans and others.
JULY 16, UC: The Governor writes to the Regents, urging them to vote for full divestment at their meeting.
JULY 18, UC: THE REGENTS VOTE TO DIVEST -- $3.1 BILLION.
SEPTEMBER 24, SANTA CLARA: The Board of Supervisors adopts a divestment ordinance. t
SEPTEMBER 26, SACRAMENTO: Governor George Deukmejian signs Assembly Bill 134 by Assemblywoman Maxine Waters into law -- making California the biggest entity in the world to divest. / NOVEMBER 2, UC BERKELEY: UC students announce they have -formed an anti-apartheid PAC and raised $5000 for key campaign~.
CONGRESS: Dellums re-introduces comprehensive sanctions. It passes the House but stalls on the Senate floor.
OCTOBER 13, OAKLAND: Bay Area residents send KDIA News Director Aleta Carpenter 2500 keys in less than 2 weeks in response to the national "Unlock Apartheid's Jail" campaign. The key campaign protests the jailing of more than 12,000 children by the South African government.
JANUARY 18, BERKELEY: Berkeley Mayor Loni Hancock and Councilwoman Maudelle Shirek announce that Berkeley has established a sister-city relationship with Oukasie, South Africa -- a Black town slated for forced removal by government authorities. Berkeley is the first city in the country to establish a sister-city relationship with a Black town in South Africa. The sister-city linking is a project of the US-South Africa Sister Community Project.
APRIL 18, UC BERKELEY: 400 march on California Hall to protest the University's "bogus divestment plan" where companies are sold to independent operators in South Africa.
APRIL 26, UC BERKELEY: Police break up a shantytown protest on Sproul Hall steps. The demonstrators had been camped out for 3 days protesting the University's slow pace of divestment.
CONGRESS: Dellums re-introduces comprehensive sanctions legislation. He has 155 co-sponsors.
Prepared by: . Rachel Richman with Virinder Singh, Arnaldo Avallos, Steve Levine, Miloanne Hecathorne, Walter Turner, Dr. Pearl Alice Marsh, Bob Brauer, David Mundstock, John Harrington, John George and Florence McDonald with assistance from Moffett Library, Berkeley Public Library, State of California Library
Copywright 1990, Africa Resource Center